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Hi! I hope someone can help me. Recently, I purchased a laptop from someone I know. the computer itself is working fine B”H. I was told that with a wireless router connected to my DSL modem, I could connect without purchasing separate service. He told me that for 200 feet away from the router, I would be able to go online. At the other end of my house (total is well under 100 feet), when I’m lucky, I get a 13% (or so) connection. And after the first site or two, that’s it. I’m getting a better connection (often) from other locations which are likely further than my own. The “seller” came down to connect the router for me, he is not particularly easy to deal with. Any suggestions?
abcd1234-
Also:
5) Try changing you router’s channel, just in case interference is the problem. Routers usually ship set so channel 6 – try 11 or 1 instead.
6) Look online to see if your router has a firmware update available.
Try channel 2 – it’s a better one to use. Also, does the router have one arial, or two?
If you can post the make/model of the router, I can have a look into its specifications, and possibly recommend another one.
Something else to bear in mind – certain construction materials used in buildings can affect the signal quality
There are websites with do-it-yourself instructions for making a signal booster out of old tin cans.
maybe somone can help me too, i have DSL wireless (meaning i dont need a plug to connect to the modem for connection) & some times when i’m working online for a few hours i’t tells me that it cant connect to the server but my internet connection is still good. Does anyone know why this is happening & how it can be avoided? Thanks in advance!
CrashOverride-
Has anything changed?
Debby-
Is this something you get when retrieving and sending email, or browsing?
Does it happen with a particular site or sites?
I can only try- it happens when i’m browsing & with any site
abc1234 – all wireless routers have the ability to set the channel – it might be under the advanced wireless settings though.
If you can provide the model number as well – this should be either on the top, or the bottom, of the router – if I have this, I can provide more detailed instructions as to where you should look in the configuration.
I Can Only Try – I generally stick with channel 2 (or 13, which is a european setting, and not available in the US). Yes, there can be slight seepage/bleed from channel to channel – the main thing though is to try to avoid the channels that other devices, such as portable phones, use. The channel spectrum anyway is quite tiny for 2.4GHz (incidentally, microwaves also use this frequency to operate).
Debby – it sounds like your wireless card is dropping the signal occasionally. Perhaps try to re-install the software for it, and see if that helps.
Jothar – making something like that yourself is not an ideal solution – it’s not as simple as getting any old can, and converting it – only someone who is good with technical items should try it out. If you really need a signal booster, it’s best to buy one. Besides, a home-made signal booster only works when connected via various means to the computer itself – it will not boost the wireless signal to a further location in the house
Hope that this helps 🙂
CrashOverride-
Thank you for the info.
I know from personal experience that microwaves can cause interference, but I was unaware they had a specific frequency. (I know they work by having a magnetron generate the microwaves that bounce off of spinning blades, which disperses the waves over the food.)
The routers I worked with have channels 1- 11.
Debby-
A few more questions:
3) Is somebody (that you know of) using a cordless phone or microwave when your problem occurs?
Right – here is a step by step guide that should help you deal with this.
Open your web browser and type the router IP address of the router (by default, the address is http://192.168.2.1.) in the address bar and press Enter.
Click Login on the top of the page to login to the router. By default the Password is left blank, click Submit.
On the left hand side, you will see a menu. There is a ‘Wireless’ heading in it, and under that, there is an entry called ‘Channel and SSID’. Click on this.
On the screen that now loads, there will be an entry called ‘Wireless Channel’. This will be a drop down box. Click it, and select ‘2’.
Then click ‘Apply Changes’.
The router will need to reboot.
This should now have set the wireless channel to channel 2
abcd1234-
They are not channels like a TV set has, with an external dial or buttons. They are set thru your PC by going to a specific internet address assigned to your router.
I can only try – Yes, the 5.8GHz phones were created in order to avoid having items cluttering up the 2.4GHz band. As well, Wireless-N routers (when used with a Wireless-N adapter) use a different band as well.
The routers that you work with are US based routers, which have specific firmware that restricts them to channels 1-11. Europe has the extra channels 12 and 13, and the Far East have channels 14 and 15 as well.
It’s unlikely that Debby is getting knocked off by the use of an applicance – that would just degrade the signal momentarily, in my option
I haven’t seen Mariner around, but I do deal with this sort of stuff in a professional capacity (as has been stated in earlier posts).
Thanks for the compliment
I Can Only Try – I’ve given the OP a step by step guide above – should help him/her with the situation.
If it would continue to give problems, I would suggest an on-site visit by a reputable IT engineer.
I also, personally, detest the Belkin routers – I go myself for either D-Link, Netgear or 3Com (for home usage), and Cisco for business usage
CrashOverride-
Your step-by-step model-specific instructions were exactly what “abcd1234” needed.
I posted my reply before I saw yours.
My router is an obsolete D-Link Di-614 “B” band that D-Link no longer supports, but it has a great signal, is faster than my DSL connection, and has WEP thanks to a firmware update.
If it ain’t broke, I won’t replace it. 🙂
Lol – obviously the mods are here en-mass tonight, pouncing on posts <bows in awe to the great and awesome superpowers>
Ah yes – I remember that model. Though I wouldn’t suggest using a model that only supports WEP, as it can be very easily broken in a matter in minutes – WPA2 is the only one I would recommend
CrashOverride-
Whoops!
Yes, I meant “and has WPA thanks to a firmware update”.
abcd1234 – as I said in my earlier post, either get a certified IT engineer in, or get a different router. I can’t really help anymore – you need an on-site visit
abcd1234 – I would suggest one of the following wireless routers (this is assuming that you have an ADSL line <not cable>)
Either the D-Link WBR-1310 Wireless G Router, the Linksys WRT54GL Wireless G Router, or the Netgear DVG631G Wireless G Router
I would not go with any Belkin router (not having good experiences with them)
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